Quarantine and elearning make it hard to be lazy, but I keep finding ways to do it. There are so many fewer assignments than I would normally have had in school, and I have so many fewer obligations, but I still manage to get behind. With a lack of constant exposure and pressure to keep up with new music, I’ve also felt myself reverting back to my favorite music from a couple of years ago, simply because it’s easier. I have been pleasantly surprised by how much I truly love these jams and how much I didn’t even know I missed them. 

2017 was the year I really got into Latin music. At that point I was completely new to the genre and living in Indiana, so I really had no idea how any of these artists sounded. None of my friends could influence me by telling me who they liked because they had never listened either. I was completely unbiased, and I could really find what I liked based solely on the sound.

As I became more familiar, I found there were really two categories of song I was listening to: Pop and Urban/Reggaeton. Quarantine has made me require more motivation than ever, and I find that most in the Urban or Reggaeton music. It has a certain upbeat tone that gets me up and going, but it is also really rhythmic and smooth in a way that really alleviates my stress. 

Some songs on here that are great examples of this are J Balvin’s “Dónde Estarás” and “No Es Justo” from what many consider to be his breakout album, “Vibras.” I used to listen to this religiously and know every word of every song because it really was that good. However, in the fast-paced world of pre-isolation, I completely abandoned it for newer songs. Now that life has really slowed down for me, I have been able to appreciate it now more than ever.

Another example of this artist Sebastian Yatra. I haven’t been as interested in his recent content as he has grown in popularity and his songs have become more mainstream, but this hasn’t caused me to forget how much I truly loved his music from years ago, like “Alguien Robó” and “Como Si Nada.” I can’t control what he makes now, but I certainly can’t forget his songs that really made me happy from only a couple of years ago.

Overall, quarantine has really slowed my pace and made me realize the great things I already have, especially in music. I can’t say these songs are cutting-edge or trending, but they really make me happy and right now, and that’s all that really matters.